Now it appears Tenet and Dearborn-based Oakwood have stopped their six-month flirtation and Oakwood officials are focusing on Botsford and Beaumont, sources said.

Sources said talks with Tenet are on hold for at least 30 days while Beaumont-Oakwood-Botsford enter into a “silent” period in which no other parties are allowed.

Earlier this year, Crain’s reported that talks were underway between top officials at Botsford and Royal Oak-based Beaumont about a merger or close affiliation.

Officials for the three hospital systems declined to address questions posed to them Thursday morning by Crain’s about potential merger talks. Spokespeople either said no one was available to talk or that there was “nothing to announce today.”

Henry Ford officials also said last year they believe they need to grow into a larger health care organization to weather changes under the Affordable Care Act and increased competition from other health systems, including for-profit DMC, which has been slowing gaining market share the past two years.

“Because of changes in implementation of the Affordable Care Act, we continue to update our strategic plan,” he stated.

“As part this planning, we have been talking with other health care organizations that are also preparing (for) and adapting to health reform. These are confidential discussions so we can’t provide names. If and when we decide to align with another organization, we’ll certainly let you know.”

Last fall, sources said the Oakwood board voted to seek a merger partner and Skokie, Ill.-based Kaufman Hall was hired to seek interested parties, several sources told Crain’s. However, Oakwood CEO Brian Connolly denied Kaufman had been hired.

“I have had continual discussions with every health care system leader throughout state of Michigan,” said Connolly in a previous interview with Crain’s.

He added the discussions did not include merger or acquisition. “There are no talks with Tenet or DMC,” Connolly said.

But over the past several months, sources, who asked to remain anonymous, told Crain’s they have inside knowledge that Oakwood is interested in seeking a hospital merger partner to help it navigate health care reform.

In a statement earlier this year, Botsford CEO Paul LaCasse, D.O., said this about a possible merger with Beaumont:

“The Affordable Care Act provides opportunity for 330-bed Botsford Health Care to create strategic affiliations and partnerships that may generate even greater value for the communities we serve.

“These are dynamic strategic considerations that are necessary to adapt to the health care reform agenda. If and when Botsford Health Care chooses to align with other organizations, an announcement will be made.”

Garden City Hospital, the area’s third largest independent hospital with 220 beds, also has agreed to be acquired by Prime Health Care, an Ontario, Calif.-based for-profit management company. Prime owns 25 hospitals in six states. The two companies signed an agreement last month.